The Stranger by Albert Camus Read Free Book Online Page A

yawned, and the old man said he’d be going. I told him that he could stay and that I was sorry about what had happened to his dog. He thanked me. He told me that Maman was very fond of his dog. He called her “your poor mother.” He said he supposed I must be very sad since Maman died, and I didn’t say anything. Then he said, very quickly and with an embarrassed look, that he realized that some people in the neighborhood thought badly of me for having sent Maman to the home, but he knew me and he knew I loved her very much. I still don’t know why, but I said that until then I hadn’t realized that people thought badly of me for doing it, but that the home had seemed like the natural thing since I didn’t have enough money to have Maman cared for. “Anyway,” I added, “it had been a long time since she’d had anything to say to me, and she was bored all by herself.” “Yes,” he said, “and at least in a home you can make a few friends.” Then he said good night. He wanted to sleep. His life had changednow and he wasn’t too sure what he was going to do. For the first time since I’d known him, and with a furtive gesture, he offered me his hand, and I felt the scales on his skin. He gave a little smile, and before he left he said, “I hope the dogs don’t bark tonight. I always think it’s mine.”

6
    I had a hard time waking up on Sunday, and Marie had to call me and shake me. We didn’t eat anything, because we wanted to get to the beach early. I felt completely drained and I had a slight headache. My cigarette tasted bitter. Marie made fun of me because, she said, I had on a “funeral face.” She had put on a white linen dress and let her hair down. I told her she was beautiful and she laughed with delight.
    On our way downstairs we knocked on Raymond’s door. He told us he’d be right down. Once out in the street, because I was so tired and also because we hadn’t opened the blinds, the day, already bright with sun, hit me like a slap in the face. Marie was jumping with joy and kept on saying what a beautiful day it was. I felt a little better and I noticed that I was hungry. I told Marie, who pointed to her oilcloth bag where she’d put our bathing suits and a towel. I just had to wait and then we heard Raymond shutting his door. He had on blue trousers and a white short-sleeved shirt. But he’d put on a straw hat, which made Marie laugh, and his forearms were all white under the black hairs. I found it a littlerepulsive. He was whistling as he came down the stairs and he seemed very cheerful. He said “Good morning, old man” to me and called Marie “mademoiselle.”
    The day before, we’d gone to the police station and I’d testified that the girl had cheated on Raymond. He’d gotten off with a warning. They didn’t check out my statement. Outside the front door we talked about it with Raymond, and then we decided to take the bus. The beach wasn’t very far, but we’d get there sooner that way. Raymond thought his friend would be glad to see us get there early. We were just about to leave when all of a sudden Raymond motioned to me to look across the street. I saw a group of Arabs leaning against the front of the tobacconist’s shop. They were staring at us in silence, but in that way of theirs, as if we were nothing but stones or dead trees. Raymond told me that the second one from the left was his man, and he seemed worried. But, he added, it was all settled now. Marie didn’t really understand and asked us what was wrong. I told her that they were Arabs who had it in for Raymond. She wanted to get going right away. Raymond drew himself up and laughed, saying we’d better step on it.
    We headed toward the bus stop, which wasn’t far, and Raymond said that the Arabs weren’t following us. I turned around. They were still in the same place and they were looking with the same indifference at the spot where we’d just been standing. We caught the bus. Raymond, who seemed